Memory of a Flower
by lightningpelt
Summary: "Darcia is alive," Kiba informed those gathered bluntly, "and Paradise is open. So is Hell. And Cheza is calling." One's memories can never be lost; neither can one's purpose. Post-series, features all the wolves SHOULD I CONTINUE THIS? PLEASE VOTE ON MY PROFILE I'm asking due to shocking lack of intrest by you humans as of late...
1. Hige and Blue

**(A/N) So, Phoenix Comic Con is coming up… and I'm going in Toboe cosplay. :D Figured it deserved a fanfic to honor the occasion. **

**I shouldn't be starting another multi-chapter fic. I already have… four? But to heck with it; it's summer. :D **

**To the actual story: pairings are HigexBlue, cannon KibaxCheza. This first chapter is heavy on the HigexBlue, but the whole story won't focus on it. I just figured that they would be a good place to start. ^^ Toboe and Tsume come next. :D **

**Also, to show that the characters are speaking as wolves_, _I use _'italics with single quotes.'_ Just to be clear.  
**

**I'm aiming for this to be ten or so chapters, just so everyone knows. It will update every Thursday. :D **

**I do not own Wolf's Rain or any of the characters. **

The young teen sunk his teeth into the hot dog, swiping his tongue with relish around his jaws. And, in that moment, he was convinced that life couldn't get any better.

"What do you think?" he asked the birds aloud, smiling up at the sparrows perched upon the street sign. One ruffled its feathers, grooming its shoulder briefly as it replied.

'_I think the wolf has forgotten what he is,' _it chuckled, although not unkindly. The wolf laughed.

"Perhaps," he admitted, stuffing the rest of his meal into his mouth. "Humfan cuwlfer hafs swome affataes (Human culture has some advantages)."

The birds twittered with laughed, and the wolf smiled, scuffing his feet on the pavement. Then, for a moment, he paused and raised his head, nose twitching. It was almost as though… _What? _he asked himself forcefully, shaking his head. _It's almost as though I can smell paradise? _He scoffed at the thought, the origin of which he couldn't place. _I'm just smelling that hot dog on my own breath. _Without another though, he continued down the road, chatting with the birds as he went.

… … …

"…!"

The girl looked up, her spine suddenly tingling with energy. Climbing to her feet on some unknown impulse, she made for the door of the café, leaving behind both her purse and her coffee. Before she was out on the street, however, sense caught up with her, and she pulled up short.

"Everything alright, Miss?" the man behind the counter asked politely, and the girl shook her head briefly.

"Everything's… fine…" she said, although she remained unconvinced herself. Returning to her seat, with frequent glances back at the door, she picked up her coffee once more. "Just… an odd feeling."

… … …

"Can you believe the nerve of that cat?" the wolf exclaimed, making a helpless motion.

'_I certainly can't_,' chirped one of the sparrows, flapping its wings. '_Thinks she owns the world!' _

"Well, don't pay any attention," the teen said, waving his hand. "Cats can't fly, thank _God_!"

'_If they could, we'd all go insane!' _another bird chirped, and the whole party chuckled.

"That'll be the day; flying cats!" the wolf sniffed, shuttering at the mere thought. He pulled up short, however, just outside the corner coffee shop, stiffening with unknown tension. Raising his head once again, he gave the air a tentative sniff.

_It smells… like… _

'_What's the matter, bud?' _one of the sparrows asked, backtracking to retrieve the wolf, who had fallen behind. '_Hey, you alright?' _

"I'm fine," the teen answered, giving himself a forceful shake. _What's gotten into me today? _

'_Want some coffee?' _guessed another bird, but he shook his head.

"Don't like coffee," he muttered, jamming his hands into his pockets. "Come on, let's head back to my place."

_But… it smells… like… _

… … …

'_Hige! Yo, Hige's back!' _

The wolf greeted the pigeon who had called with a quick rising of one hand. "Yo, George." With that he pushed inside, emerging into his small apartment. It wasn't his, really; it belonged to the bank, technically, and when they finally decided to move on the property _he'd _be the one to move. However, in his experience, that could take months if not a year, and so he made himself comfortable for the time being. Propping his feet up on the filthy stool, he flicked on the scavenged TV.

However, despite a good hour of channel surfing, nothing seemed to catch his attention. His mind, inexplicably, was back at the corner with that coffee shop, although he couldn't quite place what about it had caught his fancy. Glancing up, he saw the trio of sparrows sitting outside his window.

"Hey… could one of you guys do me a huge favor?"

… … …

'_I don't know, Chief,' _the sparrow said, when he returned from recon. _'Doesn't seem to be anything unusual about that place. Just coffee, the coffee boy, and a really smokin' hot babe. Maybe she's what you're smellin'?' _

Hige shook his head dejectedly. "I don't know what it is. That place just seems… to call to me." _Maybe it's a specific person? Maybe that chick? _

'_You won't know until you try, my friend,' _George the pigeon piped up, and Hige smiled.

"Sure thing," he muttered, heading for the door. "It's just that this action thing isn't my style." He started out walking, of course, but soon found himself running, his feet pounding over the pavement in a very un-Hige like rush. However, when he skidded to a half in front of the coffee shop, he felt no desire to stop. _Gone… it's not here. I've got… to keep going. _And with that he took off, although he didn't know what he was chasing.

… … …

The girl looked up, her whole body stiffening. _He's here. _Her muscles reacted without her consent, heels clacking over the concrete and scarf billowing out behind her in a violet streak. _He's here…!_

… … …

Hige skidded on four paws, scrabbling over the slippery floor of the alley desperately, his muzzle stretched up as he strained to catch just one hint of the scent that seemed to be dragging him across the city. Then, springing onto two feet, he tore out onto the street, ignoring honking cars and the furious shout of, "Watch out, idiot!" from a motorcyclist.

_There! _Some part of him- his heart, perhaps, or his soul –shouted, pointing to the girl rushing down the road. She wore a stylish, dark blue coat and skirt with boots, and a purple ascot that flared out behind her like the tail of a comet. Upon her face was a huge smile, her large blue eyes shining. Without a split second's though, the Mexican wolf bounded towards her, arms outstretched.

"Blue!"

"Hige!"

The two met, colliding as much as embracing, falling to the ground with their momentum, each covering the other in adoring kisses and nuzzles. The girl- Blue –laughed breathlessly, burying her face in the other's neck.

"Hige…" she whispered. "Hige… Hige…"

"Blue…" he said, by way of reply, holding her tightly to him.

Then, in unison, the two stiffened and sprang back, each somehow realizing how incredibly illogical the situation was.

"How do you know me?" the girl demanded distrustfully, and Hige blinked.

"Well… how do you know me?" he asked, and the girl pulled up short.

"Well… I…" she began, but then shook her head. "I don't know!" Her voice was still angry, but it was no longer directed at the object of her overwhelming adoration. Instead it was directed at herself; she was furious that she had forgotten something she was sure she should never have forgotten.

"It doesn't matter," Hige said, something in his voice imploring her to agree. "Blue… I need to be with you. I love you."

"I… love you, too," she relied, bewildered. Then, blinking, she opened her arms. Again the two embraced, gentler, this time, and when they parted they still held hands. Blue followed, uncomplaining, as she was led away, back toward Hige's temporary place of residence. As they grew nearer to the apartment, birds began to flutter down around them, and she looked up nervously.

'_Look at the babe!' _squawked one, flapping its wings raucously. Hige smiled.

'_So it was her, pup!' _the sparrow exclaimed. _'Didn't I tell ya she was a looker?' _

"The birds can talk!" Blue blurted out, clinging to the other wolf in sudden fright. The birds broke into twitters of laughter, and Hige looked down in surprise.

"Well… yeah," he said, somewhat helplessly. "Of course they do."

"'Of course?'" Blue asked angrily. "Hige, birds don't talk!"

"Of course they do!" the other repeated, concerned, now. "We're wolves, Blue! Of course they talk to us!"

"…" The girl blinked, helplessly, and then stammered, "'We're… wolves…?'" Yet she wasn't able to inject the question with all the disbelief she had intended to, for she found herself staring at a handsome Mexican wolf over a sleek blue muzzle, and when she looked down she found two sets of large, soft paws, one navy blue and the other tan.

'_Blue, we're wolves,_' Hige repeated softly. '_Don't you remember at least that?' _

'_Apparently not,' _the other replied, lowering her head. _'How much have I forgotten, Hige?' _

The tan wolf smiled, rubbing his muzzle lovingly against hers. _'You haven't forgotten our love. That's enough for me.' _

And Blue smiled back, returning his caresses. _'I suppose so. Hige… always stay with me.' _

'_Forever.' _

**(A/N) There you go. First chapter off the drawing board. Next chapter… Tsume! And Toboe! You should defiantly keep reading. ^^ **


	2. Tsume and Toboe

**(A/N) Hello again, my fellow wolves. Excited for this chapter? I am. :D **

**The con was fun. :D **

**Thanks to WargishBoromirFan for reviewing the last chapter! And for catching some of my really stupid mistakes and typos. ;P **

**Yep, Tsume and Toboe this time. Not as a pairing, sorry. Cannon only. ^^ **

**I do not own Wolf's Rain. **

_Ever since that moron ran in front of my bike… _the teen thought angrily, _I haven't been able to sleep peacefully. _

'_What's eatin' ya, Tsume ol' chum?' _a raven asked cruelly, flapping oily black wings. _'Sadly, it ain't me.'_

"Shut up," the grey wolf snarled. "I'll be the one eating _you _one of these days."

'_I'm just bones and feathers, I swear!' _the crow laughed, scraping its beak along its perch. _'Not worth the effort!' _

Huffing, Tsume rose, shoving his motorcycle into the shadow behind a dumpster. "I'm starving," he grumbled, shoving his hands into the pockets of his tight leather pants. Stalking out onto the street, he approached a nearby burger place, striding into it as though nothing were amiss. So daring was his manor that he made it over the counter and into the kitchens before anyone had even the presence of mind to start shouting.

"T-Thief!" the store's manager spluttered, producing a wide-muzzled gun. Tsume looked briefly at the weapon, then at the manager's face, and smiled.

"Nonsense," he said easily. "I'm a customer."

Those words made the manager hesitate for just a heartbeat, caught somewhere between disbelief and surprise. In that time, the grey wolf was gone, flashing out the back door and bounding up a nearby high-rise, vanishing into the city's skyline.

… … …

"Hello there."

'_Hi!' _

"You've got no family, hmm?"

'_No…' _the kitten mewed, looking up at the small boy.

"Neither do I," he said, with a slight smile. "Come on, then, cheer up."

As the kitten rubbed against his hand, purring softly, the boy raised his head. _'What is it?' _the little ball of fur asked, and the boy shook his head.

"That's… odd. I could have sworn… I just heard a howl."

… … …

Tsume gazed out over the city, his eyes roaming across what he considered to be his territory. _No other wolves… there are no wolves here. _But he couldn't convince himself of it. Somehow, that simple fact seemed to have come into question. And worst of all, the grey wolf didn't know what he _wanted _the truth to be.

Baring his fangs at no one, he settled back into the wall where he rested. _It doesn't matter. Nothing matters. Nothing but this life. _If that wasn't true, he didn't know what was. The only thing he could believe in was himself, and that was that. _Yes… that's that. _

… … …

Tsume was woken, two nights later, by a howl.

'_Toboe…' _he groaned, covering his ears with his paws. _'Toboe, shut up… let me sleep.' _

Starting awake, the grey wolf scrabbled frantically at his newspaper bed with panicked paws. Finally managing to get two human feet under him, he looked around, one hand over his pounding heart. _A… dream. That… had to be… a- _

"_Aaawwoooooooo!" _

The sound set his heart faltering again, and his tail bristled in an undignified manner. Once again steeling himself, he rose.

_If there's a wolf here, I'll take care of them, _he convinced himself, bounding off across the rooftops. _This is my territory. My peace. _As he ran, his conviction became stronger, until he was flying across the sky, finally skidding to a halt on the domed roof of a church. What he saw, far below, was a small red-haired boy of no more than fourteen, clutching something protectively to his chest. Around this boy stood about a dozen thugs, three with guns and the rest armed with knives or clubs. The boy lifted his head, briefly, and let out a piercing howl, half mournful and half pleading.

Tsume's body reacted without his permission, as did his voice. And he bounded down into the thick of the conflict, yowling, "Toboe! Get down!"

"What the-?" one of the thugs shouted, opening fire thoughtlessly. Tsume gritted his teeth, throwing himself in front of the smaller wolf and wincing as a bullet lodged in his shoulder. Snarling, he sunk his fangs into the greasy human's shoulder, feeling blood spurt out around his muzzle, and then turned to punch two others, sending the rest back a pace.

"Jump!" he shouted. "Toboe, jump!"

"I-I was getting ready to!" the boy spluttered, and then leaped up onto the Church's roof. Tsume followed, flipping in the air and landing lightly beside the red wolf. Without knowing why, he grabbed the smaller boy's wrist before darting off.

"Wh-where…?" the red wolf began, cutting off as he stumbled on a drainpipe. "T-Tsume…!"

The sound of his name made the grey wolf pull up short, and Toboe, already struggling to keep up, ran into his back and fell, landing with an unpleasant thump on his backside. The bundle, still tucked against his chest, gave a little _mew _of protest, and the small wolf tried to calm it as he scrambled back to his feet.

"Is that a kitten?" Out of all the questions he could have asked, that was the one that Tsume voiced. Toboe looked up.

"Y-yeah," he affirmed, shyly. Then, after a pause, "Thanks, Tsume."

"How do you know my name?" the grey wolf finally whispered, almost afraid to ask the question. Toboe started, looking up in surprise. "How do I know your name?" Now that Tsume had begun, he couldn't seem to stop the flow of questions. "Why did I help you? Why did I take your side over theirs? Why do I feel connected to you?" With a sudden snarl, he threw the pup to the ground. "How can you make me feel like this?"

The red wolf blinked, unable to come up with any reply. So, instead, he answered with another question. "Why are you crying?"

Tsume hiccupped, suddenly aware of the tears flowing down his face. The answer seemed so obvious to him, then, that he couldn't help but voice it.

"Because you're alive," he gasped out, stumbling forward, stopping just short of embracing the other. "Because you're alive, chibi, that's why I'm crying."

And so it was Toboe who closed the gap, wrapping his arms around the larger boy and burying his face in the worn leather. Knotting his fingers there, he felt himself begin to cry, as well.

"I'm alive…" he whispered, amazement in the words. "I'm alive… and _you're _alive…"

**(A/N) Who'll be next? Hehehe… who'll be next, I ask you? I had fun with this reunion. ^^ **


	3. New Lives

**(A/N) Longer chapter this time. We find out more about the wolves' new lives. ^^ The good and the bad. **

**Thank you so much to JazzyWolf for reviewing! It gives me hope for this story. :')**

**I don't own Wolf's Rain or any of the characters.  
**

Tsume watched, somewhat fascinated, as the red wolf stretched, craning his neck up as if to meet the rising sun. The two had spent the night in Tsume's den, although each seeming almost afraid to lie too close to the other. As Toboe woke, however, he gave himself a quick shake, seeming startled.

'_I have to get back to Gramps,_' he said, giving the grey wolf a brief nuzzle with his velvet-soft nose. _'I'll see you around?' _

_I'm coming with you. _Tsume almost said it, but stopped short. _What am I doing? _he asked himself, angry at his unexplained sentimentality. So, instead, he shrugged and waved one hand.

"Alright, pup. I'll be looking out for you."

Toboe nodded, smiling, and collected he kitten. Then he bounded off, vanishing into the jungle of buildings. Tsume watched him go with mixed feelings, and then forced himself to lean back and try to relax. He didn't manage to, however, and ended up heading in the direction that the red wolf had gone.

It didn't take him but half an hour to find the house; it might, at one time, have been pretty, but it had become little more than a collection of red brick and plaster. The flowers in the window boxes were dead, and the lawn was overgrown and brown. The door, unlocked, hung slightly open on rusted hinges, and Tsume didn't bother to knock.

The interior of the house, despite its outer appearance, was warm and welcoming, instantly setting the grey wolf at ease despite himself. A furry head appeared around the corner, tongue lolling and tail wagging.

'_Tsume!' _

"This is where you live, pup?" the teen asked, glancing around. "I don't know if I approve."

Toboe crouched down playfully, head cocked to one side. _'Gramps and I live here together!' _he said, seeming almost proud of his position as a human's pet. Tsume scoffed.

"'Gramps?'" he asked, leaning against the doorframe. "He take care of you?"

'_I protect him!' _Toboe said shyly, grinning. _'He gave me these.' _He shook his forepaw, a set of four golden bangles rattling.

"Toboe!" a new voice called, from the kitchen. "Toboe, where've you gone? Do I hear another voice?"

'_I'm here, Gramps!' _Toboe replied, turning and scrabbling into the hallway, tail beating at the wall in his excitement. _'Tsume's here, too! He's my friend!' _

"Your friend?" the old man asked, emerging and looking to Tsume with mild interest. "Now isn't that nice?"

'_He's really nice, Gramps!' _Toboe barked, rolling onto his back and letting the old man rub his light belly fur. _'He saved me from a gang yesterday!' _

"Well then you have both our gratitude," the elder said. "My little pup doesn't know how to stay out of trouble."

"Gotta agree with you there," Tsume muttered, nudging the red wolf with his foot.

"So how did you two meet?" the man asked, the matching set of bangles on his own wrist clanking. Both wolves fell silent for a long moment, unable to tell him what they themselves didn't know.

"… We just met yesterday," Tsume finally admitted.

'_But we knew each other's names!' _Toboe blurted quickly. _'And… and we _know _stuff about each other!' _

The old man glanced between them, for a long minute, and then began to laugh. Reaching out, he rested her hand on Tsume's thin shoulder.

"It sounds," he said, "like you two have a connection of the heart. You're lucky. You two are lucky."

… … …

Blue stirred, murmuring softly into the strong chest she rested against. Hige, in response, stroked her hair, pressing his face into the silken strands. _How often… have I dreamed of her scent… and never even realized she existed…? _

As the girl woke slowly, stretching, the other wriggled into an upright position, still supporting her. He feared, for a moment, that she would vanish with the night, but she stayed solid in his arms, looking up and pressing her lips to his.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

Standing, she flexed her shoulders experimentally, shaking off the last scraps of sleep. Hige rose, as well, looping one arm around her waist. As he pulled her closer, however, she giggled and pulled away.

"Hige, I have to go to work," she informed him, wriggling free of his embrace. The Mexican wolf pouted, scuffing his feet.

"You should quit that job!" he said abrasively. "It takes you away from me!"

"How jealous are you?" the girl asked teasingly, swatting at his head. "I can't just quit! I have a life as a human! Finding out that I'm actually… _not_ won't change anything!"

"But it changes everything!" Hige said, almost pleadingly. "We can go back to my place, and-"

"We've already talked about this, Hige." Her voice was firm, inviting no debate. "Yes, we can go back to 'your place' and wait until we're kicked out by law enforcement. Then, of course, we can look for another abandoned house to 'crash in,' as you put it. _Or _we can stay _here_, in the apartment that _I own_, the one that we won't have to leave, at least so long as I hold down this job."

Hige pouted. "I don't like you working for them," he admitted. "I don't like you working for the humans."

"I've done it my whole life," Blue said, with a sigh. "Hige…" Softening, she came forward and cupped his face with both hands. "Hige…" Pushing her lips into his, she didn't draw back until he had surrendered, all vestiges of resistance melting under her heat. "There now. I'll be home at five." And with that she was gone, leaving the Mexican wolf to curl up dejectedly on the carpet.

… … …

When the door opened at five, the girl was instantly knocked off her feet, a muzzle buried in her fur and a tongue lapping her ears. She, with a whine of pleasure, returned his affections, shoving him inside as she did so in order to kick the door shut with one hind foot.

'_Hige… Hige, I love you…_' she gasped out, pawing at his chest. _'Hige…' _

'_I love you, too…' _the Mexican wolf replied, nipping teasingly at her face and pads. _'I love you… so much…' _

The shrill ringing of Blue's cell phone split the air, making both wolves bristle and spring apart. The girl, panting, fumbled with the device with clumsy paws, and the boy huffed crossly, laying his head upon his paws.

'_Why?' _he asked mournfully. _'Why _now_?' _

'_Kuso!'_ the dark wolf spat, obviously trying to turn back. _'I haven't… _gotten _this yet!'_ Finally managing to get the phone open with human fingers, she stood and began to pace. "Hello? Hello, yes? Yes, this is she."

Hige sighed, convincing himself sadly that Blue would be busy for at least a half an hour. So he shuffled to the kitchen, pulling some ham out of the fridge and twirling a frying pan in one hand. The next hour was spent with Blue on the phone and Hige poking ham disconcertedly around in the skillet, eating about two packages' worth before he even bothered to try to prepare any for dinner. It was just as well, anyway, because as soon as Blue closed her phone she had her head in the kitchen, smiling.

"I'm going out with my friend Anna tonight!" she announced, and then frowned sympathetically. "I'm sorry, my teddy bear," she murmured, pushing her face into his neck. "I'll come home and pamper you, I promise."

"But…" Hige began, but was quieted by the quick kiss she planted on his lips, and then she was gone, whisked out the door by some invisible force. And he was left, alone with nothing but his ham for company.

… … …

Hige had given up hope of Blue returning. He had fallen unconscious, in a moderate-to-severe food coma, on the couch, waiting for her to return. And she hadn't. As of one in the morning, she hadn't returned.

When, long about three, the she-wolf slipped inside the door, her smile faded at the sight of him. If the truth was to be told, she had forgotten about the boy waiting for her at home, forgotten about him completely. And so when she saw him there, sprawled across the couch with dried tears crusting the fur around his eyes and paws clutching at the cushions, she realized just how alone he was.

"Oh Hige…" she whispered, coming up to lie beside him, pressing her muzzle into his flank. He stirred in his sleep, sniffling slightly and beginning to smile. _'Oh Hige…' _

… … …

Tsume gave in, after a good hour's needling from Toboe, to sleep with the red wolf and his human. So there he spent the night, and was woken the next morning by the scents of cinnamon-y oatmeal cooking.

Then there were the gunshots.

And he couldn't decide which of those was a dream.

For a long moment, the grey wolf simply lay there, struggling to settle on a reality to believe in. Then, a desperate howl split the air, and he decided suddenly that the gunshots were most likely fact, and the oatmeal was likely fact as well, a fact that had been interrupted by the fact of the gunshots. Scrabbling to his paws and looking around in panicked bewilderment, he took off for the kitchen, the scene of both realities.

His eyes widened impossibly at the scene before him; the same gang as before had invaded the small house, five of them toting guns this time. The old man lay in a heap upon the floor, oatmeal splattered across the whole room. Toboe was at his human's side, pressing his muzzle worriedly into his side and whimpering.

"Found you!" one of the thugs exclaimed, turning his gun toward Tsume. With the red wolf's pitiful whimpering deafening him, the grey wolf leaped, clawing at the delinquent until he dropped the gun, crying out in pain. He felt a knife drive into his pelt and, all but ignoring the pain, rounded on his attacker, breaking their nose with a strike of his palm.

'_Toboe!' _he snarled, "Get Gramps out of here! Run!"

The red wolf whimpered, nosing imploringly at the old man. _'But… Tsume…! He won't get up…!' _

Grunting, the grey wolf warded off another knife with his wrist, sending it clattering across the floor. He yelped in sudden pain as a bullet found his thigh, and he kicked uselessly at his attacker. He glanced up desperately, looking for somewhere to jump, somewhere to maneuver. But his agility was useless in such a setting. So he took blow after blow, lashing out and dispatching half his adversaries as best he could. Then, overwhelmed by those that remained, he sunk to his knees, feeling innumerable blades and bullets sink into his arms and back as he tried uselessly to shield himself, still fighting back, and losing.

Then Toboe was there, beside him, a snarling ball of red fur, tail bristling out and teeth bared. And then they were gone, leaving their weapons and half a dozen dead companions behind. And then Tsume was slumping to the ground, his battered body unable to remain upright.

… … …

'_Tsume! Tsume! Tsume!'_

The voice slowly filtered through the murky waters of unconsciousness, and, as the grey wolf came to, he became dully aware of the persistent lapping of a tongue at his many wounds, and looked up in surprise at Toboe, crouched over him.

'_Tsume…!'_ the red wolf sighed with relief, sitting up. "I thought… you were dead…" he choked suddenly, hardly getting out the last word, "too…!"

Understanding washed over Tsume, and he scrabbled to his feet, heedless of his injuries. A few feet away lay Gramps, unmoving and cold upon the ground, his hair matted with dried blood. Toboe didn't look, simply pushing the other back down.

"You shouldn't try to sit up," he whispered, returning to his task of cleaning out the bullet holes that marked Tsume's hide. "Just lie still."

"We need to get out of here," Tsume said coldly, struggling back to his feet and taking the smaller wolf by the shoulders. "They'll come back. The gangs around here don't forgive such things."

Toboe didn't speak, simply walked to where his owner lay. Still he didn't look at the body, but was forced to as he knelt, picking up the stiff form in his arms.

"We can't take him," the grey wolf said gently, laying a hand on his companion's shoulder. The red wolf shrugged.

"I just don't want them to find him," he confided, and then carried the body reverently to the backyard. Tsume stood, respectful of the pup's right, as a shallow gave was dug and filled. Then Toboe turned, whipping away his tears with an air of finality.

"Alright. Lead the way."

**(A/N) Someone's still missing… What? Were you expecting the plot to emerge so soon as chapter three? Not quite, still exposition. ^^ PLEASE REVIEW! **


	4. Packmates

**(A/N) Oh my cake! I can just make out a plotline! *is excited***

**Thanks to Alectify, JazzyWolf, and "Lady Quyn" for reviewing! *hands out cookies* **

**Hope everybody enjoys. ^^ **

**I do not own Wolf's Rain.**

"I was fine… being alone…" Hige whispered to no one, "before I knew she existed."

The Mexican wolf was once again sitting in the empty house, for Blue had once again taken off to work. All the games he used to play to keep himself amused had lost their appeal, yet he _knew _that there was more to life than waiting for Blue come home. _Ever since… that day… _For some reason, one of the most vivid images in his head was of that motorcycle he had cut off while racing to find Blue. _Why should that…? _

Rising with a sudden conviction, he gave himself a firm shake. _Blue won't be home until five… I'm not gonna sit here doing nothing! _

So, without even acknowledging it consciously, Hige set out to find that motorcyclist.

… … …

"Hang on," Tsume grunted, tightening his grip on the boy in front of him. Toboe, unaccustomed to riding such contraptions, hung on for dear life as the bike zipped down the street, weaving around cars and street signs. The grey wolf coughed harshly, blood spattering his side mirrors and soaking into the smaller form in front of him.

"Tsume…"

"I'm fine," the grey wolf growled, although his body gave a spastic shutter. _Gotta… get to my safe house… my den… _"Tonight's the full moon; my wounds will heal then."

"Then we should rest until nightfall!" Toboe urged, pulling at the tight leather stubbornly. Tsume only shook his head.

"We can't be found," he insisted, opening the throttle and shooting forward, much to the annoyance of surrounding drivers. A dinging sounded, a moment later, and he cursed loudly. "Kuso! The gas!"

Toboe's jaw dropped. "You're out of gas?"

"Almost," the grey wolf hissed, and then cursed again. "We're stopping." Pulling the bike into a nearby alley, he turned the engine off and shoved the metal beast into the shade of a dumpster. Clutching momentarily at his shoulder, he limped forward, hardly able to walk for the wounds and weakness. Toboe was there, instantly, offering his small shoulder for support. Tsume, after a heartbeat's hesitation, accepted.

"Something's missing…" the red wolf murmured contemplatively, one tentative finger tracing an x shape on the other's chest. Tsume scoffed.

"Yeah, and your bangles should be silver," he said, laughing. "Maybe I _did _have a marking there… maybe they _were _silver… in another life."

… … …

Blue gave a resigned sigh, trying to keep her mind on the paper in front of her. It kept wandering, however, to the wolf she knew waited at home for her. Finally she stood, stretching, and turned to her boss.

"I'm taking an early lunch, alright?"

"Fine," he said, waving one hand. "Enjoy."

Smiling, the girl picked up her coat and slipped out the door. No sooner had she left the office, however, than she nearly collided with a young boy of about fourteen, rushing past the glass door. He stumbled backwards, tottering momentarily and falling backwards.

"Oh gosh! I'm so sorry!" the she-wolf said, stooping hurriedly. She paused, however, inexplicably, and drew back. _Wh-what…? _

The boy blinked, as well. "Do I…?" he started to ask, and then swallowed. "Do I know you…?"

"I-I don't know…" the other replied slowly, her mouth hanging open. _A wolf. _"You're a wolf."

The boy started. "I-I am."

"So am I."

The two stared at one another, for a long moment, grasping desperately for the other's identity. When the memories weren't forthcoming, Blue finally dipped her head.

"I-I have to get going," she said. "Watch out for yourself now, Toboe."

"Y-you two, Blue."

The two wolves were about half a block apart before either realized that they had just called the other by name.

… … …

Hige made it about three blocks from the apartment before depression overcame him. He slumped against the red brick of a storefront, hiding his face in one elbow. _What was I thinking…? I'm better off just waiting at home… I'm better off just waiting for Blue to come home. It's not like there's… anyone… else… _

_But is there…? _

The Mexican wolf looked up, on some impulse, and saw the leather-clad figure standing opposite him. The silver-haired boy was blood-soaked, leaning heavily against a stop sign for support, and his head drooped as though he were on the brink of unconsciousness. But he smiled, wryly, golden eyes locked on the other.

"Yo, Hige. Don't look so depressed. They're just scratches, really."

Hige blinked. "Oh. Glad to hear that… Tsume." His eyes widened, and his mouth opened as if to repeat the name that had simply appeared in his mind. _Tsume… _"Tsume… my…" _packmate… my packmate. _

"You're looking full-fed," the grey wolf said, a bit contemptuously, and the other found himself smiling.

"And you're as scrawny as ever."

Tsume smirked, too, and then his golden eyes rolled back in his head. Hige lurched forward, instantly, to catch him, feeling his packmate's weight land heavily on his shoulder. The grey wolf wriggled weakly, but it was more reflex than anything, as his eyes were closed and his expression just a tiny cringe of pain. Hige looked down at his burden in sudden astonishment, realizing slowly why he had been so lonely ever since he met Blue. _There… are others. My packmates. Not just Blue. My _pack_._

A red blur rounded the corner suddenly, panting; the Mexican wolf started as the boy, only about fourteen, exclaimed "Hige!"

"Toboe!" Tears were springing to the tan wolf's eyes as he called out to another of his packmates, instantly recognizing the runt that he had once cared so deeply about, and mysteriously still did. He motioned uselessly to Tsume, the situation doing little to dampen his joy. "What happened?"

The red wolf rushed forward, taking hold of Tsume's shoulder to relieve some of the other's burden. "A gang," he answered shortly. "They'll come after us again, and we've just _got _to make it to moonrise! Tsume says the full moon will heal his wounds!"

"Moonlight is…" Hige paused, trying to find the right words. "He's right," he finally said, "it probably will. But you think we can make it to nightfall?"

"I don't know."

"Let's get him back to my place," the Mexican wolf said suddenly. "Blue'll be pissed about the blood on the carpet, but..."

Toboe's expression eased with relief, then sharpened. "Blue? I just saw her!"

"Really?" Hige lurched suddenly out from under the grey wolf, and Toboe nearly buckled under the weight he was left with. Sheepishly, the other slipped back into place. "Sorry. I-I'll see her later. Come on, let's go."

... ... ...

_"Kiba...!" _

_'...'  
_

_"Kiba...!"  
_

_'... Che... za...'  
_

_'... Cheza... and... Hige...'  
_

_'Cheza... and Hige... and... Tsume...'  
_

_'Cheza and Hige... and Tsume... and Toboe...'_

And so the white wolf raised his face to the clear blue sky and _howled. _

**(A/N) Yep. Finally. *jazz hands***


	5. Memories

**(A/N) Sorry I missed last week's update, guys. I was really busy with my real-world life... **

**No reviewers to thank on the last chapter... :'(**

Blue _was _quite annoyed with the bloodied carpet. Somehow, however, she got over it quickly, and gave both Toboe and the still-unconscious Tsume a nuzzle of greeting. Then she _did _set to trying to clean the rug; she did place some value on the human-presentation of her house.

The pack was still memory-less, and each of them could feel the lack of purpose vividly. They tried to quell that by pouring all their efforts into caring for Tsume, although they all knew it was a poor substitute for whatever they were supposed to be doing. At sunset they dragged their seemingly lifeless pack mate up the roof of Blue's apartment building, laying him out carefully as the sky darkened.

"I'm going for groceries," the she-wolf announced suddenly, as they stared down at the prone form. "If everyone's going to be staying here (which you guys are, I know you are) then we'll need some extra things."

"I'll come with you!" shouted Hige, bounding eagerly to his feet. Toboe glanced at them, and then returned his gaze to Tsume.

"I'll stay here," the red wolf said, running his muzzle along blood-soaked grey fur. _'I'll keep watch over him.' _

"Okay." Blue nodded, taking Hige's hand in hers. "We'll be back shortly. Howl if you need." As soon as the pair was out of sight and around the corner, she pressed her nose into his neck. "I thought we'd _never _be alone again."

The Mexican wolf glanced at her in surprise. "Huh?"

The girl shook her head, content to tighten her grip on his fingers. "Nothing, my teddy bear. I'm just glad you're here with me."

That made Hige smile sheepishly, scratching at his the back of his neck with his other hand. "M'kay!"

Suddenly, the Mexican wolf felt a tingle along his spine, much sharper than anything he had ever experienced, almost to the point of pain. So startled was he that he stopped, hand involuntarily falling from Blue's. The girl turned in surprise, concerned.

"Hige?"

"You go on ahead, Blue…" the tan wolf whispered, his nose in the air. "I'll… be along."

The she wolf tried to hide her distress, but nodded. Hige, oblivious, turned, and began to trot down an alley on little more than ancient impulse.

He hadn't walked for five minutes before a howl split the air, and the wolf felt his whole body react as though he had been plunged into icy water.

_Jaguar… my collar… "This collar, Blue… take it off." _

His hand flew to his throat, breaths coming harshly and pulse racing. Then he was bolting down an alley, grasping at the howl and at the memories. Neither was forthcoming, and he raised his nose.

"_I thought the mountain paths might be rough on her feet." "Even though she's a flower?" _

The Mexican wolf stumbled as the image hit him, and he struck the wall as he kept running. The scent filling his nose was so achingly familiar that he simply _had _to pursue it, as well as the scraps of past lives that were hitting him with the force of bullets.

'_Hige.' _

The tan wolf skidded to a halt as the white wolf leaped gracefully down before him, tail streaming. His jaw dropped; eyes widened; ears flattened.

'_Kiba…!' _

Hige felt, as soon as the name was spoken, memories hit him like an electric tide. It swept him up and buffeted him and sent fiery shocks through his nerves, making him tremble, legs braced, with joy and rage and laughter and grief all at once, the intensity of the emotions nearly knocking him from his paws. Slowly however, they began to settle, falling into the natural, slightly faded place of memories. Then, as his vision cleared, his tail rose in greeting.

'_What's up, Kiba? How was Paradise?' _

… … …

Tsume stirred, groaning as his paws twitched in the moonlight. Toboe came to attention instantly, looking up from his project; smiling, he crawled to the other's side.

'_How do you feel?' _

'_Better… I guess,' _the grey wolf muttered, sitting up and running his tongue over the worst of his wounds, which were rapidly closing over. After a pause, Toboe began to grin. _'What?' _

'_Look.' _The little red wolf thrust out his paw, making his bangles clatter. The bands had had been freed of their gold coating, revealing their glimmering silver surface. _'I think they look a lot better!' _

Tsume was about to reply when the howl sounded, and both wolves froze. Toboe suddenly choked, tears spilling over; the grey wolf doubled, but emerged with a smile on his grief-stricken face.

"To… bo…e…" he whispered, "I just saw you die. But… you're alive."

Toboe shivered violently, covering his muzzle with his paws. _'O-Oji-san…' _he whispered, _'Blue… I'm sorry…' _

Tsume pressed his muzzle into the little pup's ruff, by way of comfort to both of them. Then, both their heads rose involuntarily toward the sky, as if straining to acquire more memories, no matter how painful they might be.

"He's here," Toboe whispered. "He's here, Tsume… he's here…!"

"I feel it, too," the grey wolf muttered, straining his neck. "I feel… him…"

_Who? _The question was in both their minds, but neither voiced it. They thought that they should just _know_. But, as they stared up at the full moon, the howl did not come again, and Toboe rose without conscious decision. Tsume, however, did not.

"I don't want to remember," the grey wolf said suddenly. "I don't think you do, either."

"B-But… Tsume…!" the younger spluttered. "Tsume, this is who we are! Its part of us, and you feel it, too! I know you do!"

The grey wolf lowered his muzzle, unable to speak. _Fear _was crawling through him, and with that feeling came shame. Yet he could speak of neither, only wallow in the dread of what was to come.

"I know," he finally answered. "You're right, pup. It is. I know it is. But I've never been one to lie down and surrender, not to anything."

No sooner had he spoken than the paw steps came into earshot. With the sound came another jolt of electricity up both spines, and both wolves bolted involuntarily to their feet. Two shapes bounded up the building and emerged onto the roof; Tsume and Toboe barely had the time to recognize Hige before the white wolf in front of him enveloped their consciousnesses.

'_Kiba…!' _Toboe was the first to call it, and then he cried out, hitting the ground and beginning to paw at his ears. Tsume struggled against the urge to blurt it out, as the little red wolf had done, but eventually the whisper was forced from him.

'_Kiba…'_

_(A/N) Cliffy. Sort of. Til next time, guys! Please, please leave a review on your way out! _


	6. A Parting of Ways

**(A/N) Life's been using me as a punching bag. In my defense. **

**Thanks to reviewer "Lady Quyn!" It means a lot! **

**I do not own Wolf's Rain.**

Though Tsume didn't fall, he stumbled, the weight of shame and grief crashing over him and hot joy and exile ration racing like electricity through his pelt. But when at last he looked up, his face held no such turmoil.

'_So, Kiba, how goes the hunt?'_

'_Not_ _entirely_ _well_,' the white wolf admitted, seeming a bit put out.

_'Oh yeah!_' Toboe yelped, glancing eagerly between his companions. 'Did you guys ever make it to Paradise?'

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, and finally Tsume took up the necessary narrative. _'Darcia got Blue, then he...'_ a glance at Hige; a shared secret, _'killed Hige. He did me in not long after.'_ Then all eyes found Kiba.

_'I didn't make it, either,'_ the white wolf admitted, sounding annoyed. _'Cheza..._' He looked down briefly, but then forced himself to continue._ 'Cheza returned to her true form; she brought the world back to life. But listen to me, all of you: she's back. Darcia is alive. Paradise is open. And Cheza is calling. We have to answer her.'_

His words were met with silence. Then, just as Tsume was about to speak, Hige went rigid.

_'Blue!'_ he shouted._ 'Blue needs to hear this!'_ Without another word, he vanished over the roof's edge with the swish of a tan tail.

"... She won't want to hear it," Tsume predicted bluntly, and Kiba shook his head.

"I'm afraid not," he muttered, staring after their lovestruck packmate.

... ... ...

"Blue! Oy, Blue!"

The girl turned away from the meat counter, somewhat surprised to see Hige pelting toward her through the deserted isles of the late-night market; in the next heartbeat he was on top of her, holding her tightly, practically bouncing with some uncontainable emotion.

"H-Hige...!" she spluttered, pushing him away self-consciously. "Not... what? What is it?"

The Mexican wolf drew back, taking in the girl whose whole history he suddenly knew. "Blue, Kiba's back! You've gotta come see Kiba! He'll get your memories back!"

Blue wrinkled her nose. "'Memories?' What memories?"

"Of... of Paradise!" Hige explained hurriedly, tripping over his words. "A-And Cheza, and every-"

"I don't want to hear anything about that."

The tan wolf pulled up short, and then could only pad after the girl as she stalked through the canned vegetable section, toward the check out. "Wh-what...?"

"I don't want to know about any past life," Blue quipped easily, her steps as businesslike as her words. "This is my life now."

"B-But _Blue_...!" the other tried again, trotting up to walk beside her, hands spread in an imploring gesture. "Blue, it's who we are!"

"No, it's not!" the woman finally snapped, rounding on him abruptly. Faced with her, bristling with anger, eyes lit with some righteous indignation, Hige blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.

"Your ascot should be red."

That truly was the last straw. With a sweep of her hand, Blue sent a pile of cans crashing to the ground, but disregarded it completely. "Well it's purple in this life! This is who I am now!" she snarled. "Hige, I'm not a wolf anymore! I'm a human! And I'm happy living as one! This is my life now, and I don't give a _damn _about how it _used_ to be! I don't care about Kiba, or Cheza... and I don't care about Pops!"

The two stared at each other for a moment, and then the girl choked, suddenly realizing what she had said and clapping her hands over her mouth. And then she was crying, slumping to her knees on the cold tile floor, and all Hige could do was hold her.

... ... ...

"Cheza," Kiba said simply, predictably. "She's the one who called me here, and she's the one we have to find. She's still the key that will open Paradise; that much hasn't changed."

"I'm in," Tsume said simply, then glanced over at the red wolf. "Don't mean to assume, but I'm pretty sure the pup is, too."

"Of course!" Toboe said instantly.

"But I'm not so sure about lover-boy and his mutt," the grey wolf continued, seeming unwilling to use _any _proper names. "She's made it pretty clear that she's got a life here, and he'll stick with her no matter what."

"B-but…" Toboe stammered, "Hige and Blue are our _packmates_! They _have_ to come!"

"They don't," Kiba said, surprising the other two. "It's their decision, eventually. The world won't seal again, at least not for a while; they'll likely be able to live out their lives, if that's the path they choose."

"…" The pup looked down, seeming to feel almost betrayed by Kiba's indifference.

Tsume, however, nodded. "They might even be happier living here."

The sound of footsteps reached the wolves' pricked ears, and then the sound of a door slamming. Toboe jumped instantly to his paws, but the other two stayed down. When the door to the roof opened, only one wolf came through it.

'_Hige…?' _

The Mexican wolf smiled sadly, keeping his eyes averted. "Blue says we can stay here for as long as we want. She's gonna stay over at her friend Anna's house."

Kiba nodded, rising and placing a hand on the other's shoulder. "She doesn't want to know, does she?"

"No."

The white wolf only nodded. "What about you? It's too late to turn back, you know. Your memories are back."

"I-I know," Hige said quickly. "I'm glad I know who I am."

"But are you coming with us?"

The tan wolf looked down, seeming unsurprised by his packmate's question. "I don't know."

"You don't have to yet," Kiba said, then turned back to the other two. "Tsume, how are your wounds?"

"Fine," the grey wolf grunted, rising with an effort. Toboe was immediately at his side, but this time his aid was rejected. "Besides, I won't really heal till I'm moving. The sooner that is, the better."

Hige winced, and Toboe was quick to chastise his companion. "Tsume!"

"No, he's right," the tan wolf said, his head hanging. "He's right. If Kiba's telling the truth, which I know he is, this is a race against Darcia, just like the old days."

"That's true," the white wolf admitted, but lay a hand on his packmate's shoulder. "But we still shouldn't rush the decision you have to make."

"..." Hige didn't respond, for a long moment. Then, he smiled. It was a wide grin, but somehow sad; tragically so.

"Guys, it's been fun."

Toboe gave a sound that might have been a choked sob, but Kiba nodded. Almost reverently, the white wolf pressed his muzzle against his packmate's. _'It won't be the same without you, my friend.' _

_'I'm_ sorry,' Hige whispered, rubbing his nose along Kiba's face. _'I'm so sorry, guys. But I just can't leave. I can't leave Blue.' _

_'M-Maybe if you came, she would...!'_ Toboe offered hopefully, but the Mexican wolf shook his head. '_  
_

_'She's got a life here. And... she won't give that up. I've already tried.' _

_'Good luck then,'_ Tsume said briskly, much to his smaller companion's distress; he seemed to soften. _'Hope we'll see you again.' _

Hige smiled. _'In Paradise, right?' _

_'In Paradise.'  
_

_'In Paradise, my friend.'  
_

_'Hige... in Paradise.'_

**(A/N) Ouch. Well, what did you guys think? Return of yet another character in the next chapter! But he's undergone some serious changes...**


	7. The Lycan's Curse

**(A/N) Screw the whole weekly updates thing. My goal is to have this fic done by the start of school, Aug 9****th****. So there. **

**Anyhow, this is the new chapter… in which an old villain returns. **

**PS. As you will see, I refuse to use the word "werewolf." It just makes me think Twilight. =.= I use lycan instead. **

'_Darcia,' _Kiba huffed out as they ran, _'gained an odd… form, when he came in contact with paradise. I saw it in the Book of the Moon.' _

'_Where is the Book?' _Tsume asked. _'Maybe we can get something useful from all the gibberish?' _

The white wolf was silent for a moment; he just kept running- tried to loose himself in the rhythm of his body. _'No,' _he said finally. _'The Book no longer exists. Darcia saw to that. He burned it, right before my eyes.' _

'_So you've seen him?' _Toboe asked eagerly, though there was still sadness in his eyes over the missing pack members. _'You've seen Darcia? What does he look like?' _

Again Kiba seemed loath to respond. When he finally did, it wasn't even an answer. _'You'll all see soon enough.' _

The three wolves ran for nearly a week, allowing Kiba to lead; they trusted him to get them where they needed to go. As they went, the landscape seemed eerily familiar; though the sky was blue and the ground was green, it was unmistakably that very same mountain. Their surroundings stirred up memories better left buried, giving the very air itself a physical, haunting presence. And then, one day, they arrived.

'_Here.' _

Tsume pulled up; Toboe, tired and bleary-eyed, ran clear into him, sending them both skidding forward. Kiba, however, didn't turn at the spectacle, which would have been amusing in other circumstances. Instead he simply waited for his packmates to pick themselves up, then pointed.

"This is it: the entrance to Paradise."

The three wolves stood facing a lake- a lake that was frozen despite the warm sun beating down on their fur. Toboe was the first to step forward, only to find his path blocked.

"Don't go any closer," the white wolf said softly. "You'll die."

The red wolf took a frightened step backwards, backing into Tsume; the grey wolf didn't shove him away in annoyance, but instead took his shoulders in a motion of comfort.

"What do you mean?" Tsume asked, coming forward to stand beside his packmate, although he didn't turn to face him.

"Just what I said," Kiba replied. "Get too close, and you'll die. You might get to Paradise, but that's not enough anymore. Because Darcia won't stand for it."

'_Stop speaking in riddles!'_ the grey wolf snarled suddenly. _'Be straight with us, damn you! Don't dance around it!'_

'_You want the truth?' _Kiba queried, seeming mildly amused. "I don't mean to dance around it, but I don't know how to explain it. It seems too outlandish- even to me. In short, Paradise belongs to him; he decides who goes in and who comes out. And if you're _killed_ in _Paradise_… you don't just come back."

Toboe's mouth was hanging open. "Darcia controls Paradise…?" he repeated numbly. "How could that happen?"

"I'm the Chosen Wolf."

The three wolves whipped around; the white wolf began to growl, while the other two backed up, shocked by what they saw before them. It was unmistakably Darcia- but he had changed. He was no longer human, and no longer a wolf… but something strangely between the two. He stood upon two legs, but was naked aside from his silky black fur; his face tapered into a muzzle, those mismatched eyes glowing with as much malice as they had ever held before. He reached forward with a clawed hand, as though reaching for Kiba's neck.

"Run!"

The white wolf's sharp bark caught the other two by surprise. It was so unlike him- but his urgency was undeniable.

"Run, now!" Kiba repeated, making a wild sweeping gesture with one hand. "Get out of here, both of you! _He'll come after me!' _And with that he was bounding away; instantly Tsume was racing off in the opposite direction, pulling the shocked pup with him.

Darcia's snarling cackle split the air, but it faded slowly; he didn't give chase, to either of the parties. But his voice drifted over the hills, following the wolves as they fled.

… ... ...

'_We have to find Kiba!' _Toboe wailed, his distress mounting as his companion refused to rise. _'Tsume! Tsume, we've got to find him again!' _

"Why?" the grey wolf asked cynically. "We've all got the same goal; we'll meet up again all too soon."

Toboe made a discontented noise, but made an effort to settle down. And eventually he fell asleep, as younger creatures will do, leaving Tsume alone to gaze up at the moon.

_What's going on…? _he asked himself softly, resting his muzzle on his paws. The image of Darcia was haunting him, dancing and laughing behind his eyes whenever he closed them. _When did it get so complicated…? If Cheza were here… at least we'd have a direction to go in. At least we'd know what we needed to do. _

_We need to take down Darcia, _he told himself firmly. _We _do _know what we need to do. Same as always- take down Darcia to get to Paradise. And that's all. _

Sighing loudly, he rolled onto his back. _I wish Hige were here. This atmosphere's too heavy. _

… ... ...

Toboe's howl split the morning air, tearing into Tsume's dreams and urging the grey wolf to his paws before he was even fully awake. And he found himself face to face with Darcia.

"Where's your scent?" It was the first thought in his mind, and therefore the first thing out of his mouth. The lycan only grinned, his razor-sharp fangs an inch from the other's nose.

"Lost it. A while back. Scents are for mortal beings. I'm not mortal anymore."

Scrabbling backwards in the leaf-mold, Tsume planted himself firmly in front of Toboe. He knew instantly that he couldn't beat the strange creature before him- he knew it with a sinking feeling in his heart and a cold, slithering sensation in his stomach. He'd never felt like that before. But he knew.

'_Toboe,' _he growled softly, _'run.' _

"Oh no," Darcia chuckled, striding forward confidently. "You two aren't getting away."

Before Tsume could object or act, he felt his paws slipping from beneath him. Yelping in shock, he scrambled to keep his footing as the ground began to crumble away- both wolves were then falling through open air, with Darcia watching calmly as followed in a much more controlled fashion. Tsume landed on his paws, though the force of hitting stone split his pads open; Toboe landed awkwardly on his side. And then the black, humanoid form touched down lightly, an inch from the larger wolf's muzzle.

"Gotcha."

Tsume leaped backwards, an inch-long gash appearing seemingly from nowhere on the tip of his nose. Shaking his head furiously, he braced his legs and snarled, seeing no choice now but to stand. He could hear the rushing of a river behind him; he could hear the whistling of wind in the rocks above him. But what he focused on was Darcia, the unnatural beast stalking toward him.

And Tsume felt fear.

Staring up at that freakish _thing_, the thing that had no scent and yet radiated danger, the grey wolf felt his whole body begin to tremble. _I can't… fight this… I can't… I can't… I'll lose… I'll die… I'll lose… I'll die… _

Suddenly, a snarling ball of red fur launched itself over Tsume's head, striking Darcia head-on; apparently the lycan was as shocked as the grey wolf, for he stumbled backwards. Toboe clawed wildly at his muzzle, fur bristling and eyes as wild as any demon's. He only kept his grip for a moment, though, flung off and striking the cavern wall with a sickening _thunk_. But that did the trick, snapping Tsume out of whatever stupor he'd been in.

Leaping for the lycan's throat, the grey wolf felt his teeth meet in the forearm, unable to tear through the thick hide. But he clung there, hearing Toboe's snarling as the red wolf joined the fight. But Darcia was still laughing; still self-assured. Tossing both the wolves off of himself, he raised his head and let out an peculiar howl- something that sounded like a ghost rather than a wolf.

And what answered him was a shriek.

Tsume felt his legs crumple as the wall of sound hit him, like the supersonic weapons of Jagura's men a thousand fold. Helpless, the grey wolf covered his ears with his paws, trying to keep his skull from splitting under the pressure.

And then Toboe was crying.

'_T… Toboe…!' _Tsume watched helplessly as the pup writhed, blood spurting from first one velvety ear and then the other. His hearing always had been more sensitive than the others', and that… was now his curse.

The sound ceased abruptly, making the grey wolf's head spin as he struggled to his paws. He slipped; fell; got up again. Then he faced Darcia.

"Give up?" the lycan asked cruelly, spreading his hands. Keeping the pup's limp body in the corner of his vision, Tsume gave a guttural growl by way of reply. "No? Well… you gave me this scar," the black creature continued, tapping his right eye contemplatively. "Let's see if I can return the favor."

The resulting tussle was brief and decisive; no matter how many times Tsume's claws found purchase in his pelt, he was always shaken off. And at last fingers gripped the nape of his neck, holding him effortlessly at arm's length as he writhed and struggled.

"Is that all?" Darcia asked mockingly, drawing one razor sharp claw along the grey muzzle. Tsume made a grab for him; sunk his teeth into the wrist. But Darcia, seeming incapable of pain, simply tore his limb free once again. "Well… you aren't even the white wolf. I shouldn't expect much."

Growling softly, Tsume saw the bloodstained red bundle move at the corner of the cave. Seeing his gaze, the lycan laughed.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll deal with the little red wolf in a moment."

In a sudden explosion of motion, the grey wolf tore himself from Darcia's grasp. Staggering lamely, he glanced over his shoulder at the river. The lycan shrugged, licking his muzzle.

"If you want to make a run for it, go ahead," he said casually. "You'd be leaving the pup, of course. But that's your choice."

'_I'd sooner _die_!' _Tsume spat, claws scraping the stone. But his mind was whirling; _I have to get out of here… I have to get us _both _out…! _Prancing cautiously around Darcia, he leaped up onto a stone ledge at the wall of the cave. _No room to maneuver… I've got one shot… it'll be all about surprise… and speed. _

The humanoid creature was moving toward him slowly, nonchalantly; he held out one black hand, palm up. "Here little doggie… here little doggie," he crooned with a soft laugh, and Tsume bristled. The grey wolf found a crack in the stone; fixing his hind claws in place, he braced himself for the leap.

_One… shot…! _

Grunting with the effort exerted on his aching body, Tsume leaped with all the power left in his muscles. Darcia gave a little noise of surprise, though he didn't seem concerned as the grey wolf skidded on the stone floor, shredding his claws as he did so. Sliding to a halt at the pup's side, he took a mouthful of red fur before bolting for the river, ignoring all his pain in the face of the pup's.

Darcia padded easily over, but only watched as the grey wolf launched himself into the river. _Why_? Tsume asked, pawing at the water frantically to stay afloat. _Why is he letting us go like this? Why? _

"Go tell the White Wolf," Darcia called softly, his grin widening with a certain manic energy. "Tell the White Wolf this: Paradise has poisoned me, just as it will you, if you try to enter it. I'll kill you all before you can- and that will be merciful."

And his words followed the two wolves as they spiraled into the depths of the river, weighed down by the awful, seemingly prophetic words.

**(A/N) So what did you guys think? The pack's kinda falling apart, isn't it now? Darcia did appear as a lycan in the Book of the Moon, if ya'll remember… I ain't makin' this stuff up, I promise. Reviewers are loved. **


	8. They Look to Me

**(A/N) Okay, so... first things first. Remember Mew (Mu in some translations) from when Kiba was lost in the desert? Other animals seek Paradise, just not as strongly or as clearly as the wolves. and only the wolves can open it. Agreed? So if one was to, say, blunder into the already opened Paradise... or perhaps it isn't the real Paradise at all... Anyway, the reference to that effect isn't an oversight in this chapter. It's just my interpretation of something that could happen. Ignore it if it bugs you. **

**I'm still going to aim for THURSDAYS to update this fic. But updates will probably be rather sporadic due to (dun dun dun...) school. **

**Thank you so much to Lupa Eira for reviewing the last chapter! And in answer to your concerns (and for anyone else who's noticed) I know Darcia seems more then a bit off. I did that **_**on purpose**_**, I assure you. It will all become clear, I promise. :) **

**I do not own Wolf's Rain or any of the characters that appear below this disclaimer. **

The river carried the two wolves out into a peaty marsh. Tsume, exhausted, made a grab for the soft bank, mud sliding through his claws and squelching between his pads as he struggled with the dead weight of the pup in his jaws. At last he managed to get a grip, slithering up onto the slimey earth. Then he collapsed amid the soggy grasses, rolling onto his back to cradle the limp red bundle to his chest, held between his forepaws.

'_Toboe, Toboe,' _he moaned mournfully, lapping gently at those velvet ears, tasting the coppery blood and putrid marsh. '_Toboe, I'm sorry. Oh Toboe...' _

But the red wolf didn't wake, not for a long time. But as the moon rose, his eyes did indeed open, although his gaze was hazy. He reached up tentatively with one paw.

'_Tsume...?' _he asked, and a confused look crossed his face. '_Tsume?' _he tried again, ears twitching, and suddenly the grey wolf understood.

"Don't. It's alright."

As the red wolf saw his friend's lips move, it dawned on _him_. "Oh Fates..." he whispered, bringing one hand up to his ears, feeling the traces of blood that had escaped Tsume's tongue. "Darcia... and my ears..."

"Yeah," Tsume said, hanging his head. "I'm sorry."

But Toboe couldn't hear him. He would never hear again.

… … …

The two wolves found a small hole in the ground, most likely an abandoned badger's set, though the scent was long gone. Tsume was limping badly, and Toboe trudged along with his head down, ears occasionally flicking uselessly. There was no prey to be found in the marshes, but Tsume managed to catch them a slimy fish, and so they ate. But it was clear that there would be no moving forward- and no going back -without finding Kiba first.

"Kiba wouldn't just... take off," Toboe said one night nearly a week later, his words sloppy. But Tsume was beginning to doubt that.

"He wants to find Cheza," the grey wolf scratched out in the dirt. "He might well have left." _Which means we'll have to get moving soon, _he added silently, though the idea of striking out with the deaf pup made him ice cold. _If we... just stay here... we'll starve. But Darcia is out there... lurking... _Glancing at Toboe, the grey wolf came to a decision. "We'll head out tomorrow."

The red wolf looked as if he might object, but in the end he just remained silent. And so the two drifted to sleep without exchanging another word.

... ... ...

Limping across unfamiliar countryside, no destination in mind, with a deaf pup in tow was even harder then Tsume had anticipated. They made slow progress, trekking across the mountainside where they had died in another lifetime. Two more weeks passed totally uneventfully; the two wolves didn't come across another soul, be it wolf or man or something in between.

Toboe was growing accustomed to deafness; he was as cheerful as he had always been, although his speech was growing slow and slurred as he forgot what words should sound like. However, there were things that no wolf could simply get used to, such as the lack of all warning before an attack.

The bear came out of nowhere; it was hard to scent anything over the stench of marsh, anyway. Tsume, exhausted, detected the creature too late to flee. The massive brown body struck his, throwing him sideways and dangerously close the edge of a cliff. Seeing Toboe's panic and confusion, the grey wolf instantly sprang up, slashing wildly at the bear's blunt muzzle.

Roaring, the creature rammed it's shoulder against his chest, tossing him back as if he were a kitten. But he kept up his futile attacks, shouting at Toboe to run and going unheard.

Suddenly, his paws slipped from beneath him and he fell, landing awkwardly on his side as the stone beneath him began to crumble and slide away from the mainland. Toboe gave a wordless sound of alarm, leaping for the bear himself and clinging to it's thick hide with claws and fangs. But he may as well have been a gnat for all the attention the creature payed him, it's wild, beady eyes fixed on the wolf clinging desperately to the cliff's edge.

'_It's driven me insane...!' _the thick furred creature keened suddenly, startling both the wolves. '_Do not seek it!' _And then it lashed out with a massive paw, skull-shattering blow aimed at Tsume's head. The wolf braced himself, his mind going blank with the sudden realization that he was about to die... and could do nothing about it. Nothing even to save the pup.

But the hit never came. What came instead was a furious snarling, accompanied by a shocking and painfully familiar scent.

'_Tsume...!' _Blue's voice wreathed around him, and teeth found his scruff as he opened his eyes. The she-wolf helped him haul his trembling body farther up onto solid ground, where he collapsed, panting.

The grey wolf turned to see that Hige had attached himself to the bear's paw- Toboe was still clinging to it's shoulder, and it was beginning to stagger. With little thought, Tsume flung himself back into the fry, hitting the huge brown head and sending the whole beast crashing down onto it's side. It rose, then, and found itself faced with four snarling wolves. With one last roar it turned and lumbered off into the trees, vanishing after only a heartbeat.

But it's voice rang out over it's shoulder, chilling those wolves that could hear it to the bone.

'_Do not seek it! It is empty!' _

... ... ...

The four wolves made an impromptu camp; Blue managed to catch a scrawny rabbit, and the four split the dismally small meal in silence. Only afterwards did they begin to talk.

"So you decided to come along?" Tsume asked, not especially gently. Blue looked away.

"Of course," Hige said, smiling easily, as was his way. But he also looped one arm around the she wolf's shoulders, in a show of protectiveness.

"I'm gla' you guys 'ame," Toboe said cheerfully, and both newcomers winced. Tsume was used to the missing letters that peppered the pup's speech, and pressed on easily.

"I can't say I'm not glad," he admitted. "Kiba went off on his own, as usual."

"You can't blame him for that," the Mexican wolf said generously. "He's always had a stronger drive then the rest of us; he's got to follow that."

The grey wolf wrinkled his nose. "And leave us hear with that... thing that Darcia has become? I'm not frightened, but the least he could do was stay close. If he had been here..." He trailed off, his gaze flitting to the pup and then away. _If he had been here, this might not have happened. _He didn't need to say it.

"Well we can't exactly open Paradise without him," Hige said glumly.

"Isn't it already open?" Blue asked, seeming interested in the conversation despite her missing memories. Tsume shook his head vehemently.

"We ran into a lot of fake paradises; a lot of red herrings and a lot of traps. This is just another one of those. The real Paradise is waiting for _us_."

"If it isn' the real Paradise," Toboe asked slowly, "then wha' 'oul' change Darcia like tha'? Wha' 'oul' have tha' type of power?"

Tsume sighed, realizing that all the wolves were looking to him for an explanation- for a reason to go on. _We may be a pack without leaders, _he thought sullenly, _but we have our hierarchy. And when Kiba is out to lunch... _

And though he never would have had wanted the possition, he found himself trying to calm the pack's fears, as Kiba always managed to. "I don't know. But Paradise... It wasn't Paradise. I don't know what did that to him, but it wasn't our Paradise."

And the four wolves had to believe that.

... ... ...

_Cheza... _

It was the only thought in his mind as he raced through the driving snow, wind wiping his face and tugging relentlessly at his fur. Everything else was gone, in that instant.

For if he let himself sink deep enough into the snow, if he pushed down hard enough with each bound... his paws brushed the frozen tips of blossoms.

**(A/N) Well, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! There WILL be more detail about why Hige and Blue showed up; that wasn't just a magical thing, and Blue didn't change her mind easily. But for now I'm leaving it up to speculation. ;) **

**PLEASE leave a review on your way out! It only takes a minute, and it really motivates me to keep this story going through these trying times (school). **


	9. Undertow

**(A/N) For now, I shall continue. (looks determined)**

**Thank you to RadicalEdward6, Dragunity Gemini, and the two "guests" who reviewed the last chapter! For you, I shall continue! *bows briskly***

**When I sat down to write this, it was kinda like "Okay... what do I write in this chapter?" So if it seems a little short and filler-ish, that's why. Although it isn't filler, 'cause it does address some important stuff. I know exactly where I'm going after this, I just needed to have a chapter sandwiched in between here.**

**I do not own any of the Wolf's Rain characters.**

Tsume bared his teeth in a frustrated snarl, glancing first at the mountain and then down to the plains below. Led by him, the group had descended, drifting farther from what both Darcia and Kiba swore was the entrance to Paradise.

_It isn't,_ Tsume kept reminding himself, claws tearing up chunks of earth._ That can't be Paradise. It isn't Paradise._But he couldn't completely ignore the tug he felt in his fur, pulling him back towards the mountain. He pretended not to feel it, though, if only for the sake of his companions.

_'It'll be easier to hunt once we get down into the mainland,'_the grey wolf said solemnly; none of the others seemed too comfortable with leaving the mountain. Toboe especially was fidgeting, useless ears angled backward and tail flicking restlessly. Blue seemed ready to go either way, though Hige seemed apprehensive as well.

_'I don't know...'_ the Mexican wolf said now, a slight whine in his voice._ 'What if Kiba decides to come back? How will he find us?'_

_'He just will,'_Tsume snapped, too irritated at the white wolf to particularly care. But then he checked himself, reminded that the pack was in his care, for the time being. "He'll find us," he repeated, in a more level tone.

Hige pressed his nose to the ground, just for a moment, then looked up. _'There's a herd of deer moving South... we could catch one and drag it back up the mountain.'_

The grey wolf raised an eyebrow. "Drag a deer up the mountain?"

The tan wolf fluffed out his fur, looking indignant. _'At least we'd be where we're supposed to be!'_

With a soft growl, Tsume advanced. "And why are you so sure that this is where we're supposed to be?" he asked.

"Because this is the entrance to Paradise!" Hige shouted. "You must feel it!"

"Guys..." Toboe tried, but the sound of the pup's slurred voice only sent Tsume over the edge.

"This can't be Paradise!" he roared. "If Paradise even exists, this isn't it!"

The Mexican wolf drew back as though stung, one forepaw off the ground._ 'Tsume...'_

The leather-clad teen straightened, suddenly; took a deep breath; brushed himself off. "Let's go," he said brusquely, and then bounded down the slope with little heed for whether or not the others followed, though of course they did.

... ... ...

It was almost noon before the group came upon the deer; Tsume hadn't spoken a word, but he was the first to crouch, signalling for the others to get down.

_'That one, there... with the limp. I'll charge it; Hige, Blue, make sure it can't get back to the herd.'_

_'Wha' am I 'oing?'_Toboe asked eagerly, but was met with three rather disbelieving looks.

"You stay put," Tsume said sternly, his voice almost parental. "Don't you move from this spot until we get back."

The red wolf's tail drooped, but there was no room for argument. So the three wolves took off, bolting from the undergrowth and spooking the herd. Predictably, the animal with the limp fell behind quickly; it was Hige who actually delivered the killing bite, although it was Tsume who tripped the creature up.

_'Finally...!'_the Mexican wolf howled, digging his muzzle eagerly into the meat. Blue sat perfectly still, only watching as her mate ate and Tsume walked off alone to retrieve the pup.

Toboe was waiting where they had left him, and rose silently when Tsume appeared, beckoning with his tail. Together the two walked back to the kill, and Tsume sat in silence as the pup began to eat.

"They need us."

Blue's words caught the grey wolf by surprise. The girl leaned back on her hands, her gaze fixed on the sky. Eventually, Tsume looked away, unconsciously mimicking her posture.

"What a burden, right?"

Blue smiled, amused but saddened. "I don't know... It's good to be needed. Sometimes."

Tsume glanced at her in surprise. "Is that why you decided to come?"

The halfblood sighed, her eyes half-closed. "Perhaps. All I know is that... I was always needed. I always had a purpose. And that was missing in my old life, no matter how comfortable I was as a human. That's why I came."

The grey wolf smiled, just slightly. "I guess I could learn from you. I don't like people leaning on me."

And Blue simply replied, "But the fact that they do shows you're strong."

And Tsume paused, considering this. Sighing, he let his head hang back. "I suppose... you're right."

"Of course I am."

... ... ...

The fragmented pack was woken at dawn by the rain. The four wolves dragged themselves up and trudged on, Tsume leading them farther from the mountain with every pawstep. But the rain itself drove at their faces, trying to urge them back toward the dismal Paradise and Darcia as well.

After some undefined amount of time, Toboe slipped, his paws sliding from under him. He hit the mud with a sickening thump, whimpering as he huddled there.

_'Tsume...'_ he begged, once the grey wolf trudged to his side, _'I wa'a go ba'.'_

_'We can't go back,'_ Tsume growled, sinking his teeth into the pup's muddy fur and dragging him upright._ 'We have to keep moving forward.'_That had become a mantra for the grey wolf, since his memories came back: keep moving forward.

_'The ground is unstable here,'_ Blue said calmly, pressing her muzzle into Tsume's soaking pelt. _'We should head back to more solid ground.'_

It was a logical argument, but the grey wolf chose to ignore it, turning without a word and stumbling on, face turned to the blinding rain. It was only a matter of time, however, before his own legs were wrenched from under him, not by the wind but by the mud shifting underpaw.

_'Tsume, we have to go back!'_ Hige had to shout to be heard over the wind. _'We'll be swept away at this rate!'_

_'This isn't a river!'_ the grey wolf snapped, picking himself up. _'We'll get knocked around a bit, but the storm will pa-!'_His words were cut off abruptly as he fell again, this time feeling the soggy ground sweep him along for several yards, as if to wash him away. Yelping with surprise and alarm, he struggled to his paws again.

_'Come on!'_Blue, having turned the other way, was beckoning with her tail. Hige padded after her without any resistance; Toboe hesitated, looking back at where Tsume stood on trembling legs.

_'Co' on,'_ he whimpered. _'Please.'_

And so, with a frustrated snarl, Tsume surrendered to the trip back up the mountain.

... ... ...

The snow was melting all around him, yielding to the rain to form a torrential tide that threatened to sweep him away. But the white wolf pressed on, half-running and half-swimming, all the while feeling his pads brush flowers.

_'Che... za...'_

Feeling his muzzle slip beneath water, he spluttered for a moment, paws churning steadily as he lost the ground in the deluge, swimming as strongly as he could manage- no matter what strenth his determination lent him, however, it was temporary and limited... and failing.

Struggling, the white wolf panicked for an instant, almost falling below the waterline. He couldn't even feel the petals, now, and gagged as water sloshed into his gaping jaws.

_'Cheza...!'_

Floundering, the wolf felt himself slide below the fast-forming sea, not unlike he had so long ago. This time, however, he wasn't calm; there was no peace in his descent into icy water, for he knew his task was unfinished. So he thrashed about wildly, struggling for air, though the chill made his limbs heavy.

And slowly his strength drained away; slowly his eyes narrowed, great paws stilling as he floated deeper into the dark depths.

**(A/N) OMG CLIFFY. 'Cept I know what's gonna happen. So haha. :P**  
**Please leave a review! They mean so much, and keep me motivated to keep this story going!**


	10. The Drowned and The Dead

**(A/N) I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. But I think you'll all enjoy it. ^_^**

**Thanks to RadicalEdward6 and Dragunity Gemini for reviewing! You guys are responsible for keeping this fic going, and I truly hope I don't disappoint! **

**I do not own Wolf's Rain. **

Scrambling up onto a rocky outcropping, Tsume shook his soaking fur briefly before turning and hauling Toboe up the rest of the way, dropping the pup beside him. Hige and Blue bounded up a moment later, shaking out their own pelts before settling down.

"The water will only keep rising," Blue observed, looking out at the flooded plains. Tsume growled softly, unwilling to admit it but knowing it was pointless to resist.

"We should keep climbing," Hige said, leaning down just slightly to dangle his fingers in the rising water. "At this rate, it'll catch up."

Wordlessly, the leather-clad teen rose, leaping up the stones and taking the lead once more. Though he resented the journey, he still felt a responsibility to the others. Reaching out his hand, he helped Toboe climb up beside him.

"Stay on your guard," he warned icily, eyes glinting in the half-light. "Darcia is here somewhere."

"Oh, and the _four _of us couldn't take him," Hige scoffed, only to find the grey wolf's muzzle an inch from his.

_'Do _not _underestimate that... monster!' _he snarled, drawing back his lip. _'Never underestimate him!' _And with those words hanging in the air, he leaped up onto the next ledge, glancing back to make sure Toboe was right behind him.

... ... ...

The crumbling pack found a small cave to rest in at nightfall; the rain had slowed to a steady drizzle, and all four wolves were fairly certain the water wouldn't reach them, at least not that night. Blue and Hige found a corner to rest in, curling up and grooming each other's soaked fur with long, deliberate strokes of their warm tongues. Tsume did the same for Toboe, briskly drying the pup's useless, velvet ears.

"I'm wo'ied 'bou' 'iba," the red wolf confessed, leaning into his protector's chest. "Wh' if 'e go' caugh' i' tha' 'ian?"

"Kiba is capable of taking care of himself," the grey wolf replied, holding the pup at arm's length so he could see his lips move, and therefore understand him. "If he's one thing, he's stubborn. He can get through anything, so long as he's got a goal in sight."

And it was in such a way that they snuggled down, seeking warmth in each other's fur amid the frigid, drenched world.

... ... ...

It was nearly dawn when the steady pull of water at their fur woke the wolves, and it was with reluctant urgency that they resumed their climb. The rain had stopped, though the water continued to rise through some unknown means. As the sky turned a pale shade of grey, the foursome reached the summit of the ridge they had been climbing, suddenly facing the huge expanse of water that had once been a valley. The tallest of the mountains- the one that held the supposed entrance to Paradise -reared up as a misty shape on the horizon- the only thing in sight.

"Now what?" Hige asked, pacing anxiously and glancing down. "We can't swim that!"

_'... There's higher ground beyond it, though,'_ Tsume said, sniffing the air. _'The summit mountain... is our only chance. It's either swim it or wait here to drown.'_

Blue was the first to launch herself into the virtual sea, swimming strongly with her head bobbing above the surface. At the sight of her paddling away, Hige gave an uncomfortable whine and slid in after her, yelping as the water soaked his fur. It took him a moment, but soon he was following her, albeit a bit less steadily.

Glancing at Toboe, Tsume lowered his muzzle. _'Can you do it?'_

The red wolf fluffed out his fur indignantly, lifting his head. _'O' 'ourse!' _Leaping clumsily, he landed in the water with a splash. For an instant he vanished from view, but then popped back up, coughing and spluttering. Tsume slipped in after him, confidant as his powerful limbs propelled him forward.

_'Keep your paws moving!' _he grunted, seeing Hige falter ahead of him. _'The cold will get to you the minute you stop to breathe!'_

Blue looked back over her shoulder, seeming unusually at home in the water. _'Hey, I think I used to swim with Pops!'_

_'Fantastic, sweetheart,' _Tsume growled, swimming up beside Toboe and bumping into the floundering wolf's flank. _'You doing okay, Pup?'_

_'F-fine!' _the red wolf sniffed, though obviously struggling already. The grey wolf narrowed his eyes, sticking as if glued to the pup's side.

The land jutting toward the grey sky didn't seem to get any closer, even as Tsume felt himself begin to tire. Blue dropped back beside him, still seeming to swim effortlessly despite the dragging time.

_'Hige and Toboe won't be able to keep this up,' _she said softly, and Tsume felt relief wash through him as she overlooked his own faltering.

_'What choice do we have? We can't turn around.'_

As if on cue, Toboe gasped loudly, vanishing below the water for an instant. Arms flailing, he managed to resurface as a human, though he quickly reverted to a wolf, giving himself a shake. Instantly Tsume was there.

_'You okay?' _he asked, nudging the pup. Toboe nodded shakily and kept paddling; the grey wolf, with a glance back at the halfblood, followed him.

... ... ...

It was nearly nightfall when the bedraggled pack hauled themselves up onto land, two of the wolves collapsing instantly in one shivering, panting heap. Tsume trudged a bit farther up the bank before sinking to the ground, half-crawling on his belly into a sparse patch of grass. Blue scrambled confidently from the water, giving herself a shake.

"I'll go see if I can find some prey," she announced, then bounded up the cliffside. Hige looked after her wearily.

"What a girl..." he sighed, then let his head drop back down. "Man, I'm lucky."

Growling crossly, Tsume forced his feet under him. "I'll go help her," he said, although his legs trembled as he picked his way up after the halfblood. The mexican wolf scoffed.

"Always has to look tough..."

Toboe was unresponsive, the swim having taken what little strength the deaf pup had. So Hige rose tiredly, helping the small boy to his feet and then leading him over to that same scrubby patch of grass, making them both a nest there.

And so they waited.

... ... ...

"Wait up...!" Tsume huffed angrily, clamoring over a bolder in pursuit of the halfbreed. Blue turned and watched as he caught up, a cross look on her own face.

"You know," she began, "I've tolerated your foolish pride up until now, but you should be resting with the others! That swim wasn't nearly as hard on me as it was on you three, so let me do the hunting for tonight!"

Tsume didn't reply, but he didn't back down. So the she-wolf sighed, turning and plodding farther up the mountain, jaws split as she scented the air.

_'Rabbit...!'_

The grey wolf raised his head, ears pricking as he sniffed. The warm scent flooded his mouth, and he crouched down involuntarily.

_'To the left...'_

Blue nodded, slinking through the sparse bushes with her tail down; Tsume automatically paced the other way, around to the right. With a frenzied lunge, the halfblood drove the rabbit from it's hiding place, and in one bound the grey wolf had caught it, killing the creature with a swift bite to the neck.

Looking up with blood flecking his muzzle, Tsume grinned. _'I didn't expect to find anything.'_

_'We got lucky,' _Blue said, just as the dark shape reared up behind her.

... ... ...

Toboe was fast asleep, head resting on Hige's side. The mexican wolf himself was barely conscious, eyes closed but ears pricked for any sign of Tsume and Blue's return. His muzzle was clogged with mud and water, but he looked forward to the hot prey that the two wolves would bring back; his fur was soaking but he looked forward to Blue's soothing tongue.

When the sound of pounding paws broke into such thoughts, his tail began to wag. He looked up drowsily as the sound came closer, but the greeting on his tongue turned into a shocked yelp as his scruff was grabbed, the fangs embedded in it dragging him from the nest.

_'On your feet!' _came the furious growl, and poor Hige froze in shock.

_'Kiba?!'_

Again the white wolf jerked him, then tossed him aside in favor of retrieving Toboe, heaving the red wolf up and then urging him up the bank. Hige followed, dumbfounded, then came up beside Kiba.

"K-Kiba, it is you!" he yelped. "What are you doing here? Where have you been?"

"That's not important!" the white wolf snapped. Apparently unsatisfied with their speed, he heaved a weakly protesting Toboe onto his back. "Come on!"

Hige forced his tired legs to run as his friend took off, bounding with shocking power up the side of the mountain. Then he skidded, changing direction abruptly enough to make the Mexican wolf slip and fall, forced to scramble to his feet without pausing to recover his breath- lest he lose sight of the white wolf.

"Sl-slow down...!"

Kiba didn't respond, vaulting over a bolder and sliding into a shallow cavern, pulling Hige roughly in beside him. Then he froze, holding the tan wolf to the wall behind him, his breath coming slow and even.

Then the panting began, just outside the improvised den. The white wolf pressed one packmate farther into the stone wall, holding the other tightly to his chest.

"Come out come out..." came the dark chuckle. "Come out, little piggies..."

Hige would have yelped if Kiba's hand hadn't been over his mouth; the shadow paused, then passed, the heavy breathing and pawsteps receding. The white wolf held steady for a moment longer, then let out a pent up breath and allowed his two packmates to slip to the ground, his own legs folding under him.

"K-Kiba...!" Hige gasped, nudging his friend's flank. _'Kiba, was that...?!' _

_'No...' _the white wolf murmured, his muzzle buried moodily under his paws. _'That wasn't Darcia. At least, not all of Darcia.' _

The mexican wolf drew back, confused. _'Not... all of Darcia...?' _he repeated in confusion, and Kiba shook his head.

_'I'll explain when the others get back,' _he said tiredly, tail curling at his side. _'I... need to sleep now.' _

And with little other ceremony, the white wolf drifted away from the world.

… … …

Blue let out a panicked shriek as the shadow fell across her, leaping away just as the set of black-furred claws scoured the ground. The rabbit was forgotten as Tsume arched his back, snarling and bristling as the lycan towered over them.

_'Run! Blue, _run_!' _he howled, then lunged at the black-furred creature.

_'No!' _the she-wolf screeched back, startling Tsume as she leaped up beside him. The lycan gave an animalistic roar, slashing wildly with jagged black claws. A streak of bright red blood danced across the sky as he struck Blue, tossing her aside; Tsume, though he managed to latch onto the humanoid's arm, was similarly thrown off a moment later.

_'Together!' _the halfblood called, shaking out her pelt. _'We have to attack together!' _

_'Easy for _you _to say, Princess!' _the grey wolf snapped back, less comfortable with teamwork than individual attacks.

_'On three!' _Blue called, overriding his objection. _'One... two..." _

"Stop!"

The voice made all three lupins freeze where they were; that was when the lycan began to howl. Tsume and Blue flattened themselves to the ground, whimpering as the sound ripped into their pelts and electrified their bones.

"Stop!" came the voice again, this time accompanied by a strange flash of light. Soft footsteps hurried up the grassy embankment behind the wolves, skidding to a halt and planting firmly in the muddy soil. "You will come no closer!"

They lycan had no words as it shrieked, and the wolves were powerless to turn. Then, as if by magic, the beast faded in a brilliant rainbow of shimmering energy, leaving the two wolves panting and shivering. Then a magical touch landed on both of their backs, warmth making their cold fur rise as if seeking the sun.

"Have you missed this one? This one has missed you."

**(A/N) I think... we're almost done. I'm quite eager to finish this fic up. I don't actually know how its going to end yet, though. **

**Reviewers are loved (and get hints! :3). Please tell me what you think!**


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